Ship Life...

INTRODUCTION

So what is all the fuss about Ship Life, and how does it differ from other books of its kind?

Well, I'm so glad you asked. Quite simply, Ship Life is the equivalent of personally meeting a diverse group of people whom, despite being different characters from different cultures with different personal circumstances, they all have one thing in common. They have been or still are, working on ships. Imagine all of these people in one room, sharing what they like, dislike and have learned from their experiences at sea.

Ship Life is your passport to:

(1) Discover if a life at sea is for you

(2) Explore the differences between cruise and cargo ships

(3) Understand your transition and utilising your time on board

Despite my lengthy preparations for the job interview, I came home with no idea of what a typical day on board would be like, no understanding of the training I would receive nor of my allocated emergency duties. This is because my preparation was based on previous interviews for work on land.

My first day on board was very exciting but also overwhelming. From the moment I boarded, I was bombarded with information and reliant on everyone. It was a real culture shock being told where to go, what to do, when and how to do it for every minute of the day. Furthermore, my routine, working hours and time off were never properly explained to me. My expectations were unrealistic. I was on information overload, I was constantly getting lost and found it difficult to relax. I had made assumptions all right! I was expecting the same level of training and support that I was used to receiving on land. Having promised myself that no matter how difficult things became, I was determined to overcome these hurdles and stick it out.

While I did eventually settle into life on board ship, I became more and more aware of the impact this transition had had on me. The initial stress and confusion didn't just affect my entire day and overall emotional well-being, it was doing the same to others who, like me, were simply trying to adjust and adapt to their new surroundings. I felt drawn to making life easier for them - but the reality was that I was still making sense of it myself.

Keen to learn more about my shipmates, I was curious to know what had brought them here and what made them tick. I found the deeper I connected with them in sharing my thoughts about my own life experiences, the more I learned about theirs. Passengers seemed to be so intrigued about us as individuals, that with each 7-12 day cruise came a new set of passengers, with questions which had been asked by the previous set: ‘Did we enjoy working on board?’ ‘Where did we live on the ship?’ and ‘What were our dreams and aspirations?’ With this in mind, the more settled I became in my role, the more I began to explore the possibilities.

I took the lead and had thought it would be a good idea to interview some of my colleagues on my daily radio show. I remember feeling very anxious and extremely nervous for fear of messing up live on air. Confronting my fears, I went ahead and lined up the interviews with my shipmates from different departments. Naming the programme 'Behind the Uniform' we all shared our experiences of life on board and how we came to work on a ship. Passenger and crew feedback was complimentary, though tight schedules meant that participants were difficult to find.

Evaluating my position as I went along: two months into my first contract, I was confident about my decision to leave. At my appraisal, I made my intentions clear of my dream to pursue a contractual DJ only position. Within two months of disembarking in October 2008, I secured a guest entertainer DJ position with another cruise line. While my transition to contractor was nowhere near as daunting as coming to sea for the first time, new rules, regulations and an international audience, meant further adjustments were required.

What appeared and felt like being on a permanent holiday meant I was in need of some serious mental stimulation. With very little opportunity to learn about life at sea before stepping foot on board, I met many people who, like me, didn't know anyone who had worked on a ship before, that we were very much reliant on the information given to us by the cruise line or agency. In all honesty, if you've never experienced anything like this before, it’s highly unlikely you would know what to ask. Anyone lucky enough to be connected to a person with personal experience is not guaranteed to receive a diverse, objective or in-depth account of life on board. That it wasn't long before I noticed a 'rabbit in the headlight syndrome' from crewmembers looking so lost, that the more aware I became, the more compelled I felt to do something about it. I felt sure that by sharing the personal journeys of those already working on ships, this would attract a stronger, more confident and prepared individual from day one. The more I shared my idea of writing such a book with colleagues and passengers, the more it evolved and the more volunteers and potential customers expressed their interest.

Opportunity knocked on day ten of my second contract. Docked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I called into a Travelex store to get help with the credit card issues I was having at the time. There I met Tyler who helped me and whom I discovered had a dream to work on a cruise ship. Tyler gave me a reason to make Ship Life a reality. On returning to the ship, I sent out the first set of questionnaires and one by one they were returned. Thinking about the cover of the book, one afternoon I went in search of anyone on board who could draw or paint. One crewmember suggested I go and see Ed in the art gallery. Not the sort of person to waste a moment thinking about it, I found Ed minute’s later setting up for the art auction. I introduced myself, mentioned my book and we exchanged details. Docking in Aruba the following day, we spotted each other whilst checking Wi-Fi where Ed's incredible talent was evident. This undiscovered artist had created an original painting, which matched the vision in my head. After a few minor adjustments, he had the first cover edition ready within two weeks. As the project progressed, our schedules caused complications in our communication, where an associate of mine put me in touch with a designer friend of his who, with Ed's permission, took the cover to the next stage.

Whilst my original intention was to interview someone from each nationality and department, it became increasingly difficult due to shifts, schedules and timeframes. After many attempts to speak to the officers working on the bridge, the opportunity finally presented itself seven months later in July 2011. During the early part of my DJ shift, I approached the only couple in the nightclub. Typically the conversation evolved. They spoke very highly of their 21-year-old daughter Liz, who was stationed on cargo ships, training to become an officer and eventually a captain. Once I had contacted her, I was invited into her home and nautical college during my two-week window between contracts. Despite it being the first day of registration and the fact that renovations were very much underway, the heads of both the campus and maritime operations gave up their time to welcome me and introduced me to many of the staff. During my time at the college, I learned a whole new side to the Merchant Navy and secured interviews with trainee officers - known as cadets - and maritime professionals. This proved to be an extremely enjoyable experience and enabled me to take Ship Life to a whole new level.

Crewmembers in this book originate from; Australia, Brazil, Chile, England, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Romania and the U.S.A., and work in the Deck, Engineering, Hotel, Casino, Entertainment and Production departments. A few of them are just starting out, others are settled at sea, some have even left life at sea far behind. They include those who have (a) worked solely on cruise or cargo ships or experienced both, (b) worked in more than one position and (c) worked for different cruise lines/shipping companies or different types of ships.

To protect identities, names have been changed to avoid jeopardising employees’ present and future employment. For the purpose of clarity, each individual is featured in order of hierarchy, from (1) the lowest to the highest position and (2) length of service – from the youngest additions of the seafaring family to the eldest.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

(1) IS SHIP LIFE FOR ME?

Ever wondered why some people quit after their first contract, yet others stay for many years?

I can only imagine you may have heard or watched many conflicting accounts of ship life. For all the negative versions, if it were really that bad, why do some individuals return year after year?

Despite what you may be led to believe, ship life is not for everyone! Unless you are fortunate enough to know someone who is prepared to share in depth his or her experience of ship life, it makes researching the topic quite tricky. I soon discovered just how incomparable it really was and remember talking with one crewmember. After just 20 days on board, Marco was incredibly clear about his decision and had given it a great deal of thought. He planned to quit and had already arranged to walk straight back into his teaching job when he returned home to Mexico.

Like any role and organisation on land, there are positives and negatives and one of the worse things would be to compare life on board with life at home.

My aim is to give you a clearer idea of what to expect when choosing to work on board. Here you will find an extensive list of challenges and benefits you are most likely to encounter, as experienced by those who have been there and done it.

THE CHALLENGES

Getting to and from the ship

It is not uncommon for the US Embassy to deny visas to new crewmembers, especially if there is insufficient supporting papers or if you do not have the relevant work experience. The consul needs to be convinced that working on board ships is the applicant’s only reason for the visa. So can also depends upon how applicants manage to answer the consul's questions.

In most cases, transport is provided to take you to the docks, although it is possible that you may need to make your own arrangements, such as organising and paying for flights or taxis to get to the docks. More than likely, there will be someone on hand to direct you through each part of the terminal.

Safety at sea

Though life on board can be exciting and fun, rules and regulations are in place for everyone's safety and security. Safety is the number one priority at sea. No seafarer can ever think of being off duty. Regardless of your position on the ship, you will be assigned a position and muster station and work together with the rest of the crew to become the police, fire and ambulance services all in one.

No matter what laws, guidelines and restrictions you are used to working within on land, the law on a ship depends on (a) the captain, (b) immigration laws and (c) where the ship is registered. Adhering to all the regulations and commands can make ship life appear very regimented, especially if you are not used to it. Rules can change or become unclear or unspoken the minute a new manager/head of department comes on board. If you are not sure, you must ask.

Motion Sickness

Whilst these floating hotels have stabilising equipment in place, motion sickness is a distinct possibility. Cargo ships have bilge keels, which do help to reduce rolling during sailing. The Beaufort scale of wind speed is based on a visual estimation of the wind's effects, ranging from force 0 (calm- less than 1 knot or 1 kph,) to a force 12 (hurricane - 64 knots or 118 kph and above.) Motion sickness is common and can be torture or occasional, even rare. Though medication is always available, it's hard to know if you are likely to suffer, unless you have ample experience of sailing and/or have been on a cruise ship before.

Discipline

When joining a ship, there is so much to take in. Not only do you need to learn about your specific job, safety responsibilities and where everything is, you must also understand maritime law and fleet regulations. These are the ship’s operations and laws of the sea.

Random testing for drugs and alcohol is frequent. A record of substance abuse may jeopardise your future career. It's important to learn about the boundaries of acceptable behaviour and understand what is expected of you. Remember that any violation of the terms and conditions of your contract, such as fraternising with passengers, drug or alcohol abuse can, and does, lead to termination of your contract.

Time management

Ship life is ever-changing. With so many tasks embodied in this type of work, this working environment does not always allow the time you expect or need to digest or understand how things are. Therefore, is really important to discipline yourself. It's the responsibility of each crewmember to get to their duty station on time. It is very easy to lose track of time, particularly when enjoying your down time.

As the ship travels around the world, it enters different time zones. Clocks change frequently - the bigger the ship, the more clocks there are and they're not all guaranteed to be showing the same time. Make a point of checking the ship's time when going ashore as crew usually have to be back on board at least an hour before the passengers.

Routine

Your routine will largely depend on your department and role. Expect to work seven days a week for a period of between four and ten months - maybe more. Long and/or split shifts last 10-15 hours a day. Breaks may be few and far between, with additional duties expected to be undertaken at short notice and/or in your own time.

Expect it to be hard for the first couple of weeks or so, until you get used to all the new people and the ship’s rules. Last minute changes are frequent and apart from daily schedule changes, it may be necessary to transfer a crewmember to another ship in the middle of their contract. This is called transshipping and can happen at a moment’s notice. It can be extremely frustrating, especially if, just as you were beginning to feel settled and given a matter of hours to pack.

Nationality & Ranking Restrictions

Contract lengths and trips vary, as do rates of pay. You may be working with colleagues who are paid a higher or lower rate than yourself or work for a longer, or shorter, time. These are some of the restrictions, because they are based on nationality. Some nationalities are prohibited from visiting specific countries, even for the day. Where crew can eat can depend on ranking; that the higher the rank, the more options you have. So while all this may not sound fair, it is the reality of working on ships.

Privacy

Rooms can hold up to five crewmembers, so there is a good chance that your personal space and privacy may be compromised if you have to share a cabin. In this situation, consideration must be given to your cabin mates’ individual and cultural differences.

Once you get to know other crewmembers, especially if you have cabin mates, it is likely that your cabin phone will ring quite a lot. This can seem quite daunting at first, especially if you are used to living alone.

Promotion

Your performance is constantly being monitored by your head of department as well as by the passengers too. From time to time, it may feel like Big Brother is watching your every move.

While your supervisors and heads of department are in charge and responsible for your development, not all cruise lines invest in their leaders, so consider educating yourself and don't ever be afraid to ask about any opportunities. Some managers may decide to keep you in a particular role, even though you may not like it or have outgrown it, simply because they need someone to fill that position.

Though not always easy to do so, it is possible to change departments or be promoted whilst on board. Progression depends on both your performance and availability of positions. Typically, new positions across the departments are notified internally through the ship's intranet.

Human Behaviour

Living and working on a ship for an extended amount of time can occasionally become trying. Working in a multicultural society with 50+ nationalities and cultures means that, while the majority of your interactions are most likely to be positive, it is possible you may experience racial discrimination, favouritism, unprofessionalism and disrespectful behaviour at some point, whether indirectly or first hand.

Some people, through no fault of their own simply lack social skills and etiquette. You can expect a few grumpy people, but you are no-one's punch bag, yet all part of a typical day on board.

Health & Well-being

Depending on your medical coverage and how serious it is, treatment will be paid for either by the company or by yourself. On board ships, there are either people trained to help and/or full medical lockers are provided to ensure the right treatment is given. For urgent medical attention, arrangements can be made to see a doctor or visit a hospital.

It is very unlikely that you will know anyone on board, that you'll need to create from scratch a new group of trusted friends, otherwise you may well find yourself isolated and alone with no one to talk to. Nobody is more important than you! Ultimately, your well-being is up to you, so make sure you find time for yourself - and consider spoiling yourself once in a while too.

There is a very good chance that you will celebrate birthdays and Christmas celebrations at sea. Parties are typically organised by the management and crew welfare departments, although not the same as being at home with your loved ones.

Communication

While I keep hearing that things are going to change with the Internet at sea, to say that communications are problematic, in my experience, this was an understatement.

Considered worse than old dial-up modems; some ships are easier to connect than others, and some request you to mess around with configuration settings on your computer. Connection was not always guaranteed, often tediously slow and unstable.

Rates for calling home may be cheaper for crew than for passengers, credit often disappeared with the simplest of searches and when attempting to send basic emails. Compared to costs on land, they are higher than you will be used to paying so, if you're not careful, you may end up with a very expensive bill.

THE GOOD STUFF

Explore the world for free

It's the ideal option for individuals who are keen on seeking adventure, travelling the world, visiting countries you've always wanted to see. Have new, varied experiences and adventures. Immerse yourself in different cultures and discover things you have only ever dreamed of.

Assortment of jobs

Work in a variety of jobs ranging from employee to contractor, from dishwasher and room steward to musician, dancer and cruise director. If there is a job you have always been interested in, it is possible there is a similar position on board with opportunities for improving your knowledge and skill set.

Save money

Though salaries vary, with little or no living costs, free food and beverages and a range of dining options, working on ships is ideal if you want to save money. Furthermore, it’s possible to take advantage of free tours and duty free/discounted purchases, both on board and on land.

International friendships

For anyone wishing to meet a mixed bunch of likeminded international souls, working on a ship is the perfect environment. Living and working with different nationalities, cultures and personalities, every single day, there are plenty of opportunities to increase your social circle and to have many interesting conversations.

Make a difference

It is very likely you'll be remembered by those you serve or work alongside for the difference you made, simply because you added real value to someone’s life. Recently, I overheard a conversation whereby a couple instantly recognised the buffet steward from